Mutual Understanding
by Adrian Grae
Summary: Even Heros have there bad days where they just don't want to go on...


Mutual Understanding



He was suppose to be brave, courageous, heroic and timeless. He had fought countless enemies in so many life times and always proved victorious in the end. He was so many things and yet...nothing all at once because at that precise moment, Link didn't feel like any of these things. He didn't feel heroic although he was the one people wrote songs about, he didn't feel courageous even though he had come so far and proved himself a force to be reckoned with. He didn't even feel like a man and somehow, as he looked down at his reflection in the moonlit lake, even the green tunic he wore seemed a bit out of his league. No, all he saw was an nine-teen year old boy that looked lost and scared.

Link suddenly let out a feral cry and reaching down he slapped the water, distorting the image altogether. He could feel his eyes burn lightly but he fought the sensation like the plague. He needed to be strong right now. Strong for Zelda and strong for Hyrule, they were all counting on him so much. This was his destiny. And then, with out his permission, the dams broke anyway and he could feel a stream of water glide down his cheek.

His eyebrows furrowed in anger. What if he didn't want this life? What if he didn't want to be strong? What if he just wanted to be a kid? It wasn't fair that all of this was chosen for him and there was no way out of it. It was like the red string of fate had bound him to this hell for all of eternity and no matter where he went or what life he lived in, he could never escape it. Sometimes he felt like the gods were mocking him.

"Is it really too terribly much to ask!" he screamed defiantly into the crisp night air. "I didn't choose this and I never got that option!"

"Problems Link?" a mischievous voice called out from behind him.

Midna leaned against a tree, her arms crossed over her chest. She just stared at him with a devious smile. Link groaned turning his head back towards the lake; completely mortified.

"Go away Midna, just leave me alone please."

Midna rose a brow, staring at Link's back and she slowly floated towards him, setting herself down on the grass beside him, just out of reach of the water's reflection. He glanced over at her slightly then rolled his eyes looking away just as quick.

"All I want is peace right now Midna, I just want to be alone."

There was a strange look in his eyes that almost seemed to plead with her. The one that begged to be left alone but would give anything to have the company of a friend. She knew that look all too well, because it was like looking at her own reflection in a mirror. Midna sighed, a sad smile dusting her lips and for once, her tough exterior faded and there was nothing left but the shell of a woman…no, she guessed woman was an understatement now. She was just a girl.

"You know I do understand what it's like." She whispered, cradling her knees to her chest. "I don't know why I'm opening up to you like this. You must think that I'm just a devious little IMP bent on getting all of the fused shadows and exacting revenge on Zant. Or maybe you think that secretly I just want to convert the world of light into the twilight. Whatever you do see, I'm not who you think I am."

Link glanced over at the little IMP, a slight curiosity brewing in chest. He often did wonder about Midna and who she was exactly. Her fiery hair gleamed brilliant in the silver light and a deep worry settled in her eyes.

"You're not the only one with responsibilities Link. And believe me, I know what it's like for the world to look up to you and not to have a choice. It's a little harrowing. But you know, you learn to live with it and make the best of it. You just go and go and go and don't ever stop to look behind you because if you do, you'll have a day like this where you just can't let it go and you can't justify it no matter what you do or say to yourself. And you find yourself wanting to explode in emotion."

Link just stared at her blankly, his pent up emotions ripping through him like a fire and he could feel his heart burn from it's heat.

"We're really not so different, you and I." she said, tossing a lone stone into the lake.

"Midna, I just, want a day off of life I guess." He said finally, glancing upwards at the stars. "For one day, I don't want to have this ominous cloud loom over me that says everything hangs in the balance and everything is dependent on me. I don't wanna hear 'Link, brave hero!' or 'Link this is your destiny!' or even that 'Like the hero before you, you are bestowed with the same honor.' For once, I don't want to walk into a square and have a million people stare at me, I just want to be invisible and inconspicuous. I hate playing a part."

Midna smiled and nodded.

"I know, me too."

Link looked over at Midna, and poured over her in deep scrutiny. She had dropped her guard and he could now see a deep wisdom resting in her eyes. She was mischievous he was sure but he realized that who she made herself out to be was only skin deep and that was so much more to this little IMP then she allowed herself to portray.

"Midna, who are you really and what is your real purpose here?"

She glanced over at him abruptly, as if surprised he had even asked. A look of sadness reflected within her eyes and the glassy bead glowed silver in the moonlight. Midna closed her eyes and shook her head, an empty and haunting laugh filling the air.

"I haven't had someone have to ask me that in a very long time. It's kind of nice."

Her expression grew serious, her eyes narrowing and the warmth that was there before was now abruptly extinguished. She looked over at Link.

"Even curses can't hide the truth completely and not even Zant can hide what a mirror sees."

Before Link could ask, Midna floated towards the pool, grabbing his hand as she went. The light reflecting off the water's surface made her almost ethereal in appearance. Bending forwards, she never once took her eyes off Link. She stopped right before her image touched the water and she looked at him very, very seriously.

"I've never mingled with those of the light, I've always felt out of place around them and I don't share anything with them but, you, you're different somehow and I feel I can trust you. You must never speak of this again until such time the curse is broken and never tell a soul. I'm entrusting you Link, can you do this?"

At first he thought maybe Midna was joking, but the look in her eye said otherwise. Finally, after staring at her deeply, he nodded in agreement.

"You have my word."

Nodding, she relaxed and slowly crawled towards the bank. Sticking one hand in the water, she distorted the image of the IMP before her. Glancing back at her reluctant companion, she pointed toward the ripples.

"Watch."

Bending over the bank, Link watched at the ripples began to slowly subside and the image of a woman started to form in their wake. Link gasped as a pair of crimson eyes stared up at him through the water.

She was beautiful. Her hair blazed brilliantly against the rich blue of the lake and her grayish skin gleamed silver under the moon. As he stared, a single tear fell down her cheek and her hand reached up to touch the water's surface. Midna's fingertips met with the woman of the lake and the ripples spread again, erasing the image.

Link was still trying to process what he had just seen and could only look up at the IMP in astonishment.

"Who…"

Midna sighed, staring at the stars again.

"I like the stars better here, they have more of a sparkle to them, more life." She chuckled, "I guess not everything in this world is all bad." She looked directly at Link and smiled.

Reaching over, she grabbed Link's hand with her own, squeezing it tightly as if her life depended on it.

"I'm glad I met you Link, really I am. I couldn't have accomplished so much without your help, but that's not the main reason. It's nice to finally feel that there is one person in the world I can trust, depend on, and believe in.." Link watched as Midna looked down at her toes. "When this is all over, and the world is rid of the twilight, I'll have to go back to where I belong. My people need me as I am their princess."

Link's eyes widened and Midna just smiled and shrugged.

"Yea, it makes a lot more sense why their looking for me now doesn't it?"

"You're the twilight princess?" Link asked in surprise. Midna only nodded.

"You know Link, I think we both deserve a day off. What do you say? Tomorrow, lets just be us, without titles, expectations or any other deliberations."

He had to smile because for the first time since there journey started, they were having a real genuine conversation with no strings attached and that was the way it should be. Link nodded in agreement.

"Alright, you've got yourself a deal." He said excitedly. The world could wait for a day. "So, what do you want to do?"

Midna smiled, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

"Oh I can think of a few things." She said reaching a suggestive arm around his shoulders.

Midna laughed as he froze up, shooting her a disturbed look. After a second he began laughing with her, giving her a playful shove. The night went on and they talked, plotted and just enjoyed the view.

Link missed being himself and had to admit that Midna was right when she said, they were not all that different at all. As he looked at her, his view of her changed slightly and an admiration for what she was going through washed over him. Smiling, he recognized a warmth within his heart begin to grow for the little IMP and for the first time within his mind, he acknowledged her as more then a nuisance that was necessary or a travel companion, he accepted her as his friend and somehow, in that moment, he knew she had accepted him as well.


End file.
